Boot and Holster Assembly

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein is an article of footwear, more typically characterized as a boot, having a handgun holster permanently attached to its extended upper portion. The holster and handgun are easily concealed beneath a pant leg extending over the outer extended upper portion of the boot, and the handgun is easily accessible when needed. The holster is indirectly yet permanently attached to the extended upper portion of the boot in a manner that permits normal flexing of the boot while the wearer engages in all routine physical activities.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention described herein relates to a boot and holster assemblyfor the containment and transport of a concealed handgun and wherein theholster is indirectly yet permanently attached to the extended upperportion of a boot or, more generally, an article of footwear. The bootand holster assembly is intended to feature a relatively small holsterdesigned to facilitate the concealed-carry of a relatively smallhandgun. The holster is positioned and indirectly, yet permanently,affixed to the outer side of the extended upper portion of a boot andconcealed by the pantleg of the wearer. As positioned, a holsteredhandgun is readily accessible when needed, but otherwise concealed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

The published patent application of Zubyk, Pub. No. US 2011/0225849,dated Sep. 22, 2011, describes a pocket system for a boot, wherein theleg portion of the boot provides an interior space between the legportion of the boot and the leg of the wearer of the boot. The pocketsystem is constructed and arranged for the insertion and removal of aPDA (cell phone) which provides for its safe keeping.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,245,767, which issued Sep. 21, 1993 to Morin, describesa below-the-knee rubber boot having a pocket piece made of vinyl orrubber attached to the outside surface of the boot. The pocket piece isprovided for keeping a “float tool” handy for use by a concrete finisherwearing the boot. The pocket is preferably open at the top so that it isreadily available for tool storage and access, and open at the bottom sothat any concrete loosely adhering to the tool can be allowed to dripoff and away from the boot.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The boot and holster assembly described herein is an article offootwear, typically a boot, comprising a heel, upper portion, vamp, toe,and an extended upper portion having inner and outer sides with aplurality of generally vertical seams. The extended upper portionprovides an area of attachment for a holster assembly for theconcealment and transport of a handgun, and the holster assemblycomprises a planar backing material and a holster.

The planar backing material generally has a somewhat rectangular shapeand is permanently attached to the extended upper portion of the boot.The holster is sized to accommodate a handgun and is permanentlyattached to the planar backing material and positioned on the outer sideof the extended upper portion of the boot.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is an outer side perspective view of the boot and holsterassembly described herein.

FIG. 2 is a frontal perspective view of the boot and holster assembly ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the boot and holster assembly ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an isolated section view of the holster assembly taken alongline 4-4 of FIG. 3. The extended upper portion of the boot is not shownfor the purpose of clarity.

FIG. 5 is an outer side view of a second embodiment of the boot andholster assembly described herein.

FIG. 6 is identical to FIG. 5 but with a handgun, drawn in phantom,securely holstered.

FIG. 7 is an outer side perspective view of the boot and holsterassembly of FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a rear perspective view of the boot and holster assembly ofFIG. 5.

FIG. 9 is an inner side perspective view of the boot and holsterassembly of FIG. 5.

And, FIG. 10 is an isolated section view of the holster assembly takenalong line 10-10 of FIG. 8. The extended upper portion of the boot isnot shown for the purpose of clarity.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A preferred embodiment of the disclosed boot and holster assembly 10 isdepicted in FIG. 1. The boot portion 12 of the assembly comprises a heel5, a vamp 7, an upper portion 8, and a toe 6. And, extending above thoseelements of the boot is an extended upper portion 9, having inner 22 andouter 23 sides (see FIG. 3).

Positioned on the outer 23 extended upper portion of the boot 9, is aholster assembly 15, comprising a holster 16 and a planar backingmaterial 17. The holster is directly attached to a planar backingmaterial, which is, in turn, directly attached to the extended upperportion of the boot. The planar backing material is generallyrectangular and is permanently attached to the extended upper portion ofthe boot during the boot manufacturing process. In the currentattachment method, the lateral edges “a” and “b” of the generallyrectangularly shaped backing material are attached to the extended upperportion of the boot by stitching vertical seams such as 31 and 32.

For example, in FIG. 2, lateral edge “b” of the backing material 17 isattached and secured to the extended upper portion of the boot alongseam 32, which is integral and essential to attaching the row of eyelets30 to the boot. And, referring again to FIG. 3, lateral edge “a” ofbacking material 17 is attached and secured to the extended upperportion of the boot along vertical back seam 31, which is integral andan essential means for joining the inner 22 and outer 23 extended upperportions 9 of the boot. Note that edges “a” and “b” are the only pointsof attaching the planar backing material to the upper portion of theboot. Attaching the backing material 17 to the upper portion 9 of theboot 12 only along edges “a” and “b” provides a desired amount ofstretch and flexibility between the backing material and the boot whichresults in a more comfortable “fit and feel.”

As stated, supra, the holster 16 is attached directly to the backingmaterial 17. The holster, which is typically purchased for the assembly10, 15, is preferably and conveniently attached to the backing materialprior to attaching the backing material to the boot. Referring to FIG.4, an isolated view of a section of the holster assembly 15 taken alongline 4-4 of FIG. 3, the holster assembly is currently constructed byattaching the holster 16 to the backing material 17 by stitching withinor along two holster-stitching zones: Stitching zone 36 near the rearperimeter of the holster provides a hinge-like attachment for theholster to the backing material, and stitching zone 37 secures theforward holster portion and stabilizes holster placement. The locationof stitching zone 37 can vary somewhat. Placing stitching zone 37farther from stitching zone 36 will reduce blousing in the holster. Acertain amount of blousing in the holster is essential for proper fit,so the precise positioning of stitching is preferably determinedempirically.

A different boot style is depicted in FIG. 5, but the boot and holsterassembly 10 remains essentially the same. As depicted in FIGS. 5, 6 and7, the backing material 17 is again attached to the extended upperportion 9 of the boot 12. In this embodiment, as per FIG. 7, edge “b” ofthe backing material is attached to the boot by utilizing the stitchingof outer side seam 26; and from FIG. 9, it is apparent that edge “a” ofthe backing material 17 is attached to the boot utilizing the stitchingof inner side seam 27. And, to reiterate, the backing material is onlyattached to the extended upper portion of the boot along its lateraledges “a” and “b.” No other attachment of the backing material isencouraged or desired.

And, as with the laced embodiment of the boot depicted in FIGS. 1-3, theholster of the lace-less embodiment of FIGS. 5-9 is attached to thebacking material 17 preferably by stitching zone 36 near the perimeterof the holster and stitching zone 37 more medially, as depicted in FIG.10. Again, the precise positioning of stitching zone 37 is empiricallydetermined by the amount of holster stability and blousing desired.

Optionally, there is a handgun retaining means 18, which is designed andintended to assist in retaining a handgun, within the confines of theholster. Conventional varieties of retaining means 18 are gratuitouslydepicted in FIGS. 1 and 5. The retaining means is not novel and can befashioned from any of a variety of materials and feature any of severalmechanisms, including hook and loop or button snaps, to enable theretaining means to retain the handgun in the holster.

The disclosed holster assembly and boot may be constructed or fabricatedfrom an almost limitless variety of materials including, of course,leather, rubber or woven or nonwoven fabric materials derived fromnatural and/or synthetic fibers. The holster assembly comprising theholster and planar backing material can be fabricated from the same,similar or different materials. And the boot or article of footwear canalso be constructed of materials similar to or different from theholster assembly.

The holster is typically sourced from commercially feasible suppliers.It is sized to be appropriate for easily concealed handguns. It ispaired with the boot during construction of the boot and attached to theboot via the planar backing material, preferably by stitching alongpredetermined seamlines, as described, supra.

While the foregoing is a detailed and complete description of thepreferred embodiments of the disclosed boot and holster assembly, itshould be apparent that numerous variations and modifications can bemade and employed to implement the overall purpose of the disclosed bootand holster assembly without deviating or departing from the spirit ofthe invention, which is fairly defined by the appended claims.

1. An article of footwear comprising a heel, upper portion, vamp, toe,and an extended upper portion having inner and outer sides and aplurality of generally vertical seams, said extended upper portionproviding an area of attachment for a holster assembly for theconcealment and transport of a handgun, said holster assemblycomprising: a generally rectangular planar backing material permanentlyattached to said extended upper portion; and, a holster, sized toaccommodate a handgun, permanently attached to said planar backingmaterial.
 2. An article of footwear according to claim 1 wherein twoedges of said planar backing material are attached to said extendedupper portion at and coincident with the stitching of a pair of saidvertical seams.
 3. An article of footwear according to claim 2 whereinone edge of said backing material is attached to said extended upperportion at and coincident with a back seam.
 4. An article of footwearaccording to claim 2 wherein one edge of said backing material isattached to said extended upper portion at and coincident with an isletseam.
 5. An article of footwear according to claim 2 wherein one edge ofsaid backing material is attached to said extended upper portion at andcoincident with a side seam.
 6. An article of footwear according toclaim 1 wherein said holster also includes a retaining means forsecuring said handgun within said holster.
 7. An article of footwearaccording to claim 1 wherein said holster is positioned on the outerextended upper portion of said article of footwear.